Does your French bulldog sometimes make too much noise when breathing , snore incessantly and is generally very loud? That’s because your French bulldog to a greater or lesser extent suffers from brachycephalic syndrome , which manifests itself through breathing difficulties in dogs due to the fact that their cranial formation distorts the pharynx. This syndrome specifically affects the breed of flat-nosed dogs or brachycephalic breeds such as the French bulldog, the English bulldog, the pug, etc.

These canine abnormalities are expressed in these breeds of dogs specifically when they perform exercises or some type of activity, when they are under high levels of stress or when they suffer from excessive heat . These types of pathologies as a consequence of their anatomy develop more intensely when they are older.

Causes of brachycephalic syndrome

The anatomy of the French bulldog gives it a particular body structure , which can be seen with the naked eye by its flattened face . However, this is the reason for the development of this syndrome in dogs and over time, multiple abnormalities can occur in the respiratory tract, such as inflammation, obstructions, etc.

What is the physical structure of the French bulldog that could cause brachycephalic syndrome?

Narrow nose: The nostrils of the French bulldog are much narrower and the difference with other breeds is very marked.
Soft palate: This type of palate extends to the end of the throat and causes an obstruction in the nasal passages, making it difficult to breathe.
Laryngeal saccules: This is an increase in the volume of the vocal cords that are located in the larynx.
Dimension of the trachea: Its diameter is characterized by being extremely narrow .

Symptoms of brachycephalic syndrome

There are various symptoms that flat-faced or squashed-faced dogs present when they develop brachycephalic syndrome , among which we can find some such as:

#1 Difficulty breathing

Breathing becomes difficult as the disease develops, causing difficulty in absorbing air. In fact, many owners of these breeds decide to go to a veterinarian specialized in soft palate surgery to improve the quality of life of their dogs.

#2 Emission of noises when breathing

One characteristic that is present and easily noticeable is the presence of loud noises when breathing, which makes the dog make a greater effort when taking in air . All French bulldogs, or almost all, tend to snore a little, although we have known some that are very quiet. However, when they suffer from brachycephalic syndrome, their breathing is always very loud and noisy even when they are not exercising.

#3 Difficulty exercising

Movements when doing some kind of exercise such as walking become slow. Some have it so marked that they can barely go out for a walk in the street calmly because it is an immense effort. And much less run , since when they do, they choke or vomit within a minute .

#4 Strength in snorting and loud snoring

Their breathing becomes usually loud and extremely noisy . Due to the respiratory difficulty that the animal presents in some of its phases, snoring becomes characteristic and habitual as an indication of a lack of air and that there is a great nasal obstruction .

#5 They present cyanosis

Cyanosis is a state of discoloration of the skin that tends to turn it blue , as well as the mucous membranes of the animal. It occurs due to a lack of oxygenation in the blood . This is a very important symptom as it indicates the development of the disease in an advanced phase as well as the presence of some cardiac pathologies .

#6 They suffer from sleep apnea

It occurs when there is difficulty breathing during sleep, which causes interrupted dreams . This type of disorder stops the dog’s breathing during sleep, which makes it physically weak due to lack of proper rest. The danger of apnea is that due to lack of oxygenation, it can cause cardiac arrest, which can even lead to death. As well as the development of asthmatic conditions , asphyxia , and other respiratory diseases.

#7 Discomfort when swallowing

The presence of alteration of the vocal cords causes difficulty in swallowing any type of food, which causes great discomfort.

#8 Presence of nausea

Constant nausea indicates a state of alteration in the body due to the imbalance it presents. Your French bulldog may not have made any movement, may have run and vomited very frequently or may have nausea.

#9 They sometimes suffer from suffocation

Episodes of shortness of breath can frequently be observed in this unique syndrome, which leads the dog to have severe respiratory symptoms .

#10 Frequent vomiting

Vomiting is a symptom of a biological alteration that occurs in the dog’s body. This is a way for the body to express that it has an abnormality.

Recommendations to avoid brachycephalic syndrome

There are aspects that can aggravate this situation and you must keep them in mind so that your French bulldog has the best possible quality of life:

#1 Avoid stressing your French bulldog

You must avoid stressing your dog. Keeping him in a balanced environment will help him lead a calmer lifestyle, thus being able to manage his physical condition. If you have more dogs at home or other animals, you must try to keep him away from the usual conflicts between them, so the ideal is to have them in spacious places with few animals that can disturb him.

#2 Escape the heat

You should avoid your French bulldog being in very hot places to avoid aggravating his condition. Summer can be deadly for him if you don’t take precautions. And you already know that heat stroke can be fatal.

#3 Avoid the collar, use a harness instead

Avoid putting a collar on your dog’s neck because if he pulls too much when walking, it could obstruct the flow of air, so it is recommended not to use anything tied to his neck. You can buy him a dog harness that is tied to his body without harming his neck and therefore his breathing.

#4 Don’t overdo it with exercise

A brisk walk is a strong and sometimes excessive exercise for these breeds, so long walks should be avoided to avoid straining their respiratory system .

#5 Keep your nostrils clean and moisturized

Hygiene and good cleaning of your nostrils will help you breathe better.

Surgical intervention for brachycephalic syndrome

Brachycephalic syndrome can be treated surgically with an intervention that many veterinarians already perform today. The dog is of course anesthetized and its head is held firmly with its mouth open so that a small cut can be made in the palate and tissue can be removed if necessary.

It is a relatively simple procedure and from what we have heard from people who have had it, their Frenchies have recovered very well, with their breathing and therefore their life improving considerably. It is not a cheap treatment and it is therefore advisable to find a veterinarian who is trustworthy and recommended in these matters.

In this video you can see an operation on a French bulldog with brachycephalic syndrome, also known as soft palate syndrome. We are sorry that these are not pleasant images, but anyone who is considering operating on their Frenchie for this reason will understand.

Dumbo’s experience and his palate surgery

Dumbo is a beautiful and affectionate 1 and a half year old black French bulldog who had trouble breathing and so his owners decided to consider soft palate surgery on the French bulldog. We asked his dad José Carlos Martínez a little question so he could tell us about his experience and clarify some doubts that may arise if you are thinking about this operation for your French bulldog.

Why did you decide to operate on Dumbo?

We saw that when summer came, especially, Dumbo’s breathing was terrible and it was getting worse. Also, when we went for walks, after only a short walk, he was already choking. But after one day we put him together with another bulldog to play at home, he started choking out of excitement and fell to the ground, and his tongue even turned purple, and we were so scared that we decided to do it right away.

How did you choose the clinic to operate on him?

We searched a lot on the Internet, forums, asking friends, even my brother-in-law had previously operated on his bulldog elsewhere, and after looking at the options we decided on the Veter Salud Indra Clinic in Fuenlabrada. We went for an initial assessment and once everything was explained, we decided to perform the operation.

Where did you have the operation and how much did it cost?

We had the operation at that clinic, as it had very good reviews and the truth is that they were great at all times, explaining to us in detail how the operation and the aftercare would be. The doctor (Jacinto) was a delight at all times. The price with the first consultation, pre-surgical check-up and the surgery was around 800 euros.

Did you have to take any measures prior to the operation?

No, not really. I go in early in the morning and we go for him early in the afternoon. It all depends on the “patient”, age, type of problem and various additions…

How long did the operation take and how long did you have to stay in hospital?
I think the operation lasted about 2 hours, and once it was done he came home with us.

How was the postoperative period? What was your daily care?

The post-operative process was great, the only thing worth mentioning was that we had to wet the food a little so that it was soft and he could eat it without forcing it and above all so that he wouldn’t choke. Also, light exercise during the first week.

How long did it take to recover?

From the second day on, he was already doing great. You could see that he was breathing perfectly. In fact, even today, he continues to breathe correctly during times of high activity or heat.

How would you say Dumbo’s quality has improved after the intervention?

An 8 out of 10. It’s a joy to see him breathing well, even if he’s playing or it’s very hot. I especially had a hard time watching him and especially hearing him breathe as if he were an old car engine running.

What would you say or recommend to people who are considering this operation?

Well, if there are no complications due to the type of intervention, I would encourage everyone who is in a similar case (which will be almost everyone hahaha) to undergo the operation if they have no financial problems, as it is not a cheap operation.

Improve the quality of life of your French bulldog

Does your French bulldog have serious breathing problems ? Have you had this procedure? We know that it is not something we like because it causes a lot of pain, but it is a problem that if it is handled in the best possible way by dealing with certain situations, your French bulldog will surely lead a happy life.

We need to operate soon on Jazz , one of our chubby ones, because he has gotten worse in recent years and we want him to have the best quality of life possible, for us his well-being comes first. If you are going through this, we send you all the encouragement in the world and if you can, you dare to have the operation, especially young dogs recover very quickly. If you found this post useful, do not hesitate to leave us a comment and share it on your favorite social networks.